We started the day off with some delicious breakfast of mangos and pineapples. We were given a few more minutes to get ready and then we headed off in our tap-tap to Vogly’s. Now if we were in the states, the tap-tap ride would have taken about 10-15 minutes but in Haiti… things always tend to take a little longer. We arrived at Vogly’s and were shocked by the progress we’ve seen throughout the years visiting the area. We all immediately scattered, eager to interact with all the new children, but were quickly reined back in my Mr. Butler to hear Vogly’s story. Vogly runs a soccer ministry in a tent city that has been improving over the years. Vogly was involved with YWAM (Youth With A Mission), when he first came to Haiti, but now works independently spreading the word of Christ to the community through the game of soccer. He started off with one ball and very few kids each week but we just gave him a full bag of soccer balls, t-shirts to give to the kids, medals to use for praise whenever he sees fit, and more bibles to hand out. Vogly lives pretty far away from the community where he works and has to take 8 tap-tap rides each time he visits the community. He was very humble and at peace with his current place even though it certainly cannot be easy for him. After hearing Vogly’s story, we quickly scattered again to do what we do best, play soccer. While some jumped into the game, others watched and talked to kids in the community. After hanging out for a while, we packed up, said our good-byes, and headed back to New Life. Now we thought the tap-tap ride to Vogly’s was long but we were in for a “treat” on the way home. We took a detour on our way back to see the construction progress being made on the brand-new Olympic soccer stadium. We got on the highway that lead us back to New Life but were immediately stuck in traffic… Now there’s always traffic in Haiti, but even our veterans had never experienced anything like this. The ride was long, hot, and bumpy. We spent hours in traffic, which lead to sore bottoms, bruised backs, and lungs filled with dust and soot. But definitely put that in the books as a new Haitian experience!
The rest of the day was filled with relaxation with the kids, including watching a couple World Cup games in the church. We finished the night with some PKs, inspired by the Netherlands win, and devotions before tucking all the kids into bed. We are now gathering for our traditional game of Uno before bed. We are excited about our tournament tomorrow and cannot wait to play and spread the Word!
Emily and Courtney